... for women who expect to lead the way www.murrayedwards.cam.ac.uk
Dame Barbara Stocking Dame Barbara Stocking was appointed President of Murray Edwards College in July 2013. She was herself an undergraduate at the College, studying Natural Sciences. She was awarded a CBE in 2008 for her services to humanitarian causes as CEO of Oxfam.
“Murray Edwards is a very special place. It is open, friendly and vibrant with students, Fellows and staff all full of ideas. It offers the world-class education of any college at Cambridge University, and it has the additional strength of its focus on womens’ development. We want young women here to have high expectations in whatever way they choose to live their lives, and to have the confidence to achieve them: high academic expectations, high personal expectations and in time high professional expectations. Murray Edwards has a reputation for selecting young women of outstanding ability wherever they come from. I can confirm the impact personally. I went to Murray Edwards (New Hall) as a young woman from a working class background, and left having developed a deep confidence (though not arrogance, I hope) that I could make a real difference in the world. That confidence and ability to think for myself have been so important in the leadership roles I have held whether in the NHS, or as Chief Executive of Oxfam. I hope that young women going out from Murray Edwards will feel that the world truly is ‘their oyster’, that they have a ‘voice’, and that building on their academic excellence they have the skills and confidence to achieve their ambitions. The College is a great place to enjoy, and a great place from which to go out into the world.” Dame Barbara Stocking
Living and Studying at Murray Edwards College Architecturally light and modern the College is set within informal gardens. It is adjacent to Fitzwilliam and St Edmund’s Colleges and close to Churchill College, the Maths Faculty, Cavendish Laboratory and Vet School. The bustling City centre is just a 3-minute bike ride downhill. With a reputation for being open, friendly, lively and innovative we offer a warm welcome to outstanding young women from all backgrounds and nationalities. We can provide excellent facilities including a striking College Library (holding 60,000 books and open 24 hours a day) and modern living and dining areas. Almost all our undergraduate students are accommodated in College throughout their studies in rooms with central heating, computer connections and access to shared kitchens. Most rooms have a wash basin and 40% are ensuite. Meals are available in our light and spacious dining hall, enhanced by a display of contemporary art and distinguished by our iconic domed ceiling. Food at the College has a very good
As a Cambridge college we provide not only the living
reputation with Saturday brunch and the daily salad bar particular
environment but also, and crucially, the foundation for
favourites. In addition our gardeners grow a wide selection of
academic study. Our community includes
herbs and some vegetables which they encourage students to
undergraduates, postgraduates, researchers and lecturers
pick and use whenever they wish.
from a wide range of academic fields. Discussion is lively
We offer a range of social and leisure facilities including a gym,
and informed and our alumnae community includes a
tennis court, squash court, bar and TV room. Benefiting from
growing number of those who have achieved at the
keen and talented musicians, the College Music Society holds
highest academic level nationally and internationally.
regular recitals and concerts in conjunction with neighbouring
We want you to succeed in your own academic
colleges. We have many College societies and our sports teams
endeavours. We aim to provide you with very strong
compete in various league and cup competitions. Our Boat Club
teaching and support both within the College and from
has enjoyed considerable success in recent years.
across the University. Our mixed Fellowship (our academic teachers and researchers) are highly committed with considerable expertise and will guide you through your studies as you learn on a daily basis through all the facilities that this University and its departments and colleges together provide. Study here is exciting, demanding and rewarding. Students who visit Murray Edwards College often remark on its very special and distinctive character‌.. the next page highlights some of these features, but we hope you will come and see for yourself.
Some special features... Student engagement Students are engaged
Gardens
on all the key policy
Our gardeners believe that
making Committees in
our informal gardens are
the college. They take
part of your ‘home’. They
a very active role in
grow flowers, herbs and vegetables for you to pick and
shaping how the
use as you please. They run impromptu activities such
college looks, feels
as fresh herbal tea to warm a chilly spring day, apple
and operates. It means that the college has a very open and responsive feel, which many of our students greatly value.
picking and fire-roasted marshmallows. They’ve made their own garden
Internship Initiative Like many, our students are concerned about their career
film and have a keen following on their Facebook pages.
prospects and are often keen to explore roles beyond the major graduate employers. To facilitate this we have put in place a new college-based Internship Initiative. We work
Gateway Programme
with employers to offer a range of work placements and
Our Gateway Programme is unique to the college. It
internships providing students with experience and
has been designed with students and external
contacts in fields as
consultants to provide enhanced opportunities for
diverse as charities,
those who study here. These opportunities embrace
marketing,
academic and career aspirations and include
publishing and
workshops, conferences
entrepreneurship.
and funding options. Through the Gateway Programme students have undertaken many exciting
Art Collection We host the largest collection of art by women in Europe. It is contemporary, imaginative and thought-provoking and displayed throughout the college. It includes a sculpture in the gardens by Dame Barbara Hepworth and two works by Maggi Hambling in the Dome Dining Hall. Three much admired dung beetles by Wendy Taylor lurk in the gloom beneath the main staircase.
challenges such as volunteering with AIDS orphans in Africa, dive master training in the Red Sea (towards a career as an underwater archaeologist) and researching glaciers in Sweden.
FACTS and FIGURES...
Celebrating Results July 2013 Our Finalists overall 93% achieved a 1st or 2:1 History 5 out of 10 Finalists achieved a First English 3 out of 9 Finalists achieved a First Natural Sciences: Chemistry 2 out of 4 Finalists achieved a First
Applicant Offers for 2014 entry Student backgrounds UK: 74% (63% state, 37% independent) Europe: 10% Overseas: 16% GCSE record Eight or more A*s at GCSE: 64% Four or fewer A*s at GCSE: 9% AS record Scored an average of at least 92% over 3 best AS subjects: 70% Scored an average of 87% or less over 3 best
Natural Sciences: Experimental and Theoretical Physics 2 out of 3 Finalists achieved a First
AS subjects: 9% Qualification system Other than A level: 24%
Engineering (3rd Year) 4 out of 7 students achieved a First
Money Issues Ensuite room rent
Who lives and works at Murray Edwards?
£1100-£1300 per term
350 undergraduates
Lunch/dinner
100 postgraduates
£4-£6 Travel awards 58 awards of up to £300 offered (2013) Gateway Challenges Funding
50 academic fellows 100 staff 1 College cat
27 awards of up to £600 offered (2013) Beyond Cambridge: 90% of Cambridge graduates are placed (job/further study) within 6 months. Most earn £20-30,000 per annum.
...about Murray Edwards College
“I wouldn't trade my time at
Events and visits Open Days
Murray Edwards for anything. The past three years have been better than I ever could have imagined.” Carys (History)
Thursday July 3rd 2014 Saturday September 6th 2014 Thursday July 2nd 2015 Saturday September 5th 2015
“Through the Gateway Programme I learned how to find a career that suits my interests and skills, how
Pathways to Success
to write an excellent and confident
An overnight conference for sixth formers celebrating
CV and convincing cover letters
achievement and exploring next steps. We invite interest
and how to have a successful job interview – I now feel confident to
from schools. It’s popular so we try to engage a different
start planning my future!” Johanna range of schools each year.
(Asian and Middle Eastern Studies)
Offerholders’ Overnight Stay A unique opportunity for offerholders to join us and stay with current students for 24 hours to experience a ‘real’ taste of University life before their final school exams.
“The gardens have a unique wild beauty – they are our secret gardens.”
Application Days
Carina (Medicine)
A popular one-day programme about university applications. The programme includes discussions with “One of the great aspects of the
academic tutors and current students. (For visiting
college is its people. I have made
school groups or individuals.)
friends of whom I know will remain friends for a life time. …Students Aspiration Days
are happy here as individuals – a
A morning programme for visiting schools who would like
welcoming, exciting and active environment.” Francesca (Law)
to introduce younger students (usually year 10 and 11) to aiming high and university entrance.
Visits Our Schools’ Liaison Officer is pleased to arrange
“...a lot of hard work but a lot of
individual visits for schools and/or students unable to
fun – an amazing experience!” Katrina (Physics)
attend scheduled events.
To find out more and to contact us or book www.murrayedwards.cam.ac.uk admissions@murrayedwards.cam.ac.uk
“I found the atmosphere in College
Tel: 44(0)1223 762229 (Admissions)
really supportive and encouraging,
44(0)1223 769020 (Visits)
everyone from my Director of Studies to the Librarians and my [fellow students] were willing to
We look forward to welcoming you to our College.
help with anything and everything.” Hannah (Law)
Tel: 44(0)1223 762100 Fax: 44(0)1223 763110 www.murrayedwards.cam.ac.uk
Sat-nav post code CB3 0DR/number 61
Photography by Clare Cotterill, Maya Beano and Andrew Fox
Cambridge CB3 0DF